TX 

551 
.Q6 

1-598 



Bulletin No. 54. 

U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, 

OFFICE OF EXPERIMENT STATIONS. 



NUTRITION INlSTimONS IN NEW MEXICO 



IN 



18 9 7 



15 V 



ARTHUR GOSS, M. Sj 

PKOFKSSOR OF CHKMISTUV. XKW MEXKJO (JOLLKGR OP 
AGllICUL'L'URE AND MECHANIC ARTS 




WASHINGTON: 

GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE. 
1898. 




aassJZ^^ilCV 
Book (/'^ 



/^;r 



3 •^r 

Bulletin No. 54. 250 

U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, 

OFFICE OF EXPERIMENT STATIONS. 



i' 2. c3 



IN 



IN 



18 9 7 



BY 



ARTHUR GOSS, M. S., 

PROFESSOR OK CHEMISTRY', NEW MEXICO COLLEGE OF 
AGRICULTURE AND MECHANIC ARTS 




WASHINGTON: 

GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE, 

1898, 






LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL 



United States Department of Agriculture, 

Office of Experiment Stations, 

Washington, D. C, May 15, 1898. 
Sir: I have the honor to transmit herewith a report on food and 
dietary investigations in New Mexico, made by Arthur Goss, M. S., pro- 
fessor of chemistry in the New Mexico College of Agriculture and 
Mechanic Arts and chemist of the Agricultural Experiment Station of 
New Mexico. The work here reported is in continuation of that recorded 
in Bulletin No. 40 of this Office and consists of a study of the composi- 
tion of a side of New Mexico beef and a dietary study of a poor Mexi- 
can family living near Las Cruces, N. Mex. In connection with the 
study of the composition of meat a considerable number of analyses 
were made. These investigations constitute a part of the nutrition 
investigations in charge of this Office. They were conducted under the 
immediate supervision of Prof. W. O. Atwater, special agent in charge 
of nutrition investigations, in accordance with instructions given by the 
Director of this Office. The New Mexico College and Station have cor- 
dially cooperated with the Department in this work. In the analytical 
work valuable assistance was rendered by A. M. Holt, M. S., assistant 
chemist of the station. 

Professor Goss's report is respectfully submitted with the recommen- 
dation that it be published as Bulletin No. 54 of this Office. 

A. C. Trie, 

Director. 
Hon. James Wilson, 

Secretary of Agriculture, 

3 



CONTENTS, 



Page. 

Ontliue of tlie work ■. 7 

Aualyticai study of -d side of New Mexico range beef 7 

General conditions influencing beef raising in New Mexico 7 

Methods of analysis 9 

Results of analysis 12 

Comparison of the composition of beef from different parts of the United 

States 14 

Dietary study of a poor Mexican family 14 

Conditions of life 14 

Details of the study 15 

Discussion of results 18 



ILLUSTRATIONS. 



Plate I. Fig. 1. A row of adobe houses in New Mexico; Fig. 2. Mexican fam- 
ilj- at dinner in front of their adobe house; Fig. 3. Mexican women 
preparing tortillas 14 

Fig. 1. Diagram showing cuts of beef used in this investigation 10 

5 



NUTRITION INVESTIGATIONS IN NEW MEXICO 

IN 1897. 



OUTLINE OF THE WORK. 

The uutritiou investigations carried on by the New Mexico Experi- 
ment Station during the past year, herewith reported, inchide analyses 
of native beef and a dietary study. The larger part of the available 
time was devoted to the analytical study of a side of beef, taken from 
a steer representing as fairly as possible the average animal raised 
upon the New Mexico cattle ranges, for the purpose of obtaining data 
for a comparison of average New Mexico range beef with beef from 
other sections or from animals grown under different conditions. 

The dietary study is a continuation of work previously reported^ and 
was made with one of the families studied in the earlier investigation. 
The family was regarded as typical of the ordinary Mexicans of limited 
income, who make up the greater portion of the common laborers of 
New Mexico. 

ANALYTICAL STUDY OF A SIDE OF NEW MEXICO RANGE BEEF. 

GENERAL CONDITIONS INFLUENCING BEEF RAISING IN NEW- 
MEXICO. 

The location, climatic conditions, and surface conformation of New 
Mexico are such that the greater jiart of the Territory is pastoral 
rather than agricultural. From the general conditions^ under which 
cattle are raised in this Territory, marked differences in the composi- 
tion of their flesh as compared with that of animals raised in other 
localities might be expected. A large area of the Territory is elevated 
table-land or mesa, varying in height from between 6,000 and 6,500 feet 
above sea level at the north to 4,000 feet in the south. This region is 
traversed by irregular and broken ranges of mountains and furrowed 
by rivers and streams, along which is found the only arable land. 

Climate and rainfall. — The climate is exceedingly dry, so much so 
that meat left in the open air dries without putrefaction. The annual 
rainfall is very slight, the average for eight years being less than 



U. S. Dept. Agr., Office of Experiment Stations Bui. 40. 



8 

14^ inches. The average rainfall for Maine, Tennessee, and Texas is 
approximately 46, 5 i, and 29 inches, respectively. The rainy season, 
which is usually confined almost entirely to the late summer snonths, 
begins sometime between the middle of July and the middle of August 
and lasts only about four weeks. 

To one unfamiliar with New Mexico conditions the apparently barren 
stretches of mesa which surround the valleys appear utterly worthless. 
But wherever there is sufficient water, either in streams or springs, 
grass is abundant, and under the influence of the summer rains plains 
that were apparently entirely bare will turn green and become valuable 
pasture land in a very short time. Even the seemingly dry barren 
mesa produces much valuable forage and supports large numbers of 
sheep and cattle throughout the entire year. The climate is such that 
shelter is not required. 

Native grasses and forage plants. — The majority of the wild forage 
plants of New Mexico are grasses. They may be divided into two 
different groups — those which grow in the moist and alkaline soil of 
the valleys and those which are found on the mesa and which depend 
solely on the scant rainfall for their supply of moisture. 

To the first group belong several rapidly growing annual grasses, 
among the most important being the grapevine mesquite, bunch grass 
(growing upon the alkali "flats" which will support little else), and 
salt grass. This salt grass or alkali grass forms a thick sod on the 
marshy alkali "flats" and "draws" which are of frequent occurrence 
in this western country. Provided there is sufficient water it grows 
well even when the alkali covers the surface of the soil with a thick 
white crust. 

Of the second group, i. e., the mesa grasses, the most important are the 
gramas. Most of the species are perennial, but the " six- weeks grama" 
produces an abundant and valuable crop during the short rainy season. 

In addition to the grasses two other plants — prickly pear and sotol — 
furnish an occasional supply of nourishment for the range animals. 
The prickly pear is a fleshy cactus, the stems of which are covered 
with barbed spines. Before feeding the spines are removed by burn- 
ing. It is used in several regions of the West when fodder is scarce.^ 

Sotol is a plant resembling the yucca. The outer spiny leaves are 
cut away with a heavy knife exposing the central core of the plant, 
which contains no spines and which is the portion eaten by stock. 
Sotol contains a larger amount of nutrients than prickly pear, but 
neither of them is of any great value as a stock food when used alone. 

With the increase in numbers on the ranges the cattle have acquired 
the habit of eating plants, such as prickly pear and sotol, which would 
ordinarily be rejected. These coarser plants are utilized when feed is 



' In Australia and in North Africa and other Mediterranean regions this plant has 
been fed to a cousiderabh^ extent, and is regarded very favorably. In Australia it is 
usually cooked by steaming. 



9 

sLort to tide over the cattle until the summer rains again cause the 
grasses to spring ui). As a result range cattle are generally in very 
poor condition in the spring and are never very fat. 

The following table gives the composition of the above-mentioned 
forage plants : ' 

Table 1. — Composition of some of the New Mexico range grasses and forage plants. 



Ash. 



Ordinary gratna grass (Bouteloua oligostachya) . . . 

Blacli grama grass {B. eriopoda) 

Six weeks grama grass (B. polystachya) 

Tall grama grass (B. racemosa) 

Bunch grass (Sporobolus airioides) 

Vine mesquite grass {Panicum obtusum) 

Salt grass {Distichlis spicata) 

Prickly pear ( Opuntia camanchica) 

Sotol (Basylirionwheeleri), bead or inner portion, 

green 

Timothy hay i (average of 68 analyses) 



Water. 


Pro- 
tein. 


Ether 
extract. 


Nitrogen- 
free ex- 
tract. 


Crude 
fiber. 


Per ct. 


Per ct. 


Per ct. 


Per ct. 


Per ct. 


6.1 


7.4 


1.7 


44.1 


30.3 


4.8 


5.3 


1.7 


45.6 


32.0 


4.8 


9.8 


1.9 


42.0 


30.9 


6.4 


6.3 


1.8 


41.3 


34.8 


6.4 


7.0 


1.8 


42.5 


33.5 


4.3 


8.9 


2.5 


45.6 


30.4 


5.5 


6.6 


2.0 


45.7 


28.6 


72.7 


1.1 


.4 


16.4 


3.1 


65.0 


1.6 


.8 


22.5 


8.5 


13.2 


5.9 


2.5 


45.0 


29.0 



Per ct. 
10.5 
10.8 
10.7 
9.4 
8.9 
8.4 
11.6 
6.4 

1.6 
4.4 



•U. S. Dept. Agr., Ofiice of Experiment Stations Bui. 11. 

The grasses were analyzed in the air dried condition because this is 
their condition on the range during the greater portion of the year. 
They spring up during the summer rains, and after the growing season 
is over they cure as they stand, making a fair quality of hay ui)on which 
the stock feed until the return of the rainy season. 

On the whole, the hay from the range grasses analyzed compares very 
favorably with that grown in other parts of the country. It will be 
seen that, probably owing to the exceptionally dry climate, the New 
Mexico hays contain a very small proportion of water. They contain 
an unusually high percentage of ash, which is doubtless due to the large 
amount of soluble constituents, or alkali, present in New Mexico soils 
and ill those of the arid region in general. The ash content of some of 
the plants grown in the arid regions is very remarkable. Samples of 
prickly pear analyzed at New Mexico Station have been found to con- 
tain more than 30 per cent ash in the dry matter. 

METHODS OP ANALYSIS. 

For the purpose of the investigation, a range steer 2^ years old, rep- 
resenting as nearly as possible the average animal at this time of the 
year (spring), was selected. After slaughtering, one side was divided 
into fifteen different cuts as outlined in the diagram (fig. 1, p. 10). 

The methods of preparing the samples for analysis, of partial drying, 
and of determining the moisture and ash were the same as those com- 
monly employed. Considerable trouble was encountered in grinding 
the samples. Most of them could be ground fine enough to pass a one- 
half millimeter sieve, but a few, like the leg, containing much tendon 
and similar tissue, could not be made to pass through so fine a mesh. 



'New Mexico Experiment Station Bui. 17. 



10 

The methods of analysis were for the most part the same as ordina- 
rily employed. In the case of the nitrogen and fat determinations 
slight modifications of the regular methods were made. • 

Fat in meat. — The fat was determined by extracting the water-free 
material in a Soxhlet extractor with anhydrous ether. Before begin- 
ning the analysis of the samples from the side of beef selected for 
investigation, a series of fat determinations were made with samples of 
round and sirloin steak in order to ascertain how long the extraction 




Fig. 1. — Diagram showing cuts of beef used in this investigation. 

should be continued. The results of these determinations are given 
in the following table: 



Table 2. — Length of time necessary for complete extraction of fat from heef with ether. 



No. of 
sam- 
ple. 


Name of cut. 


Fat re- 
moved in 
first 24 
hours. 


Fat re- 
moved in 

second 
24 hours. 


Total fat 

removed 

in 48 

hours. 


547 


Round steak : 


Per cent. 
7.87 
7.91 


Per cent. 

0.21 

.17 


Per cent. 
8.08 






8.08 










7.89 


.19 


8.08 




Sirloin steak : 




546 


1.41 
1.55 


.22 
.22 


1.63 






1.77 










1.48 


.22 


1.70 




Sirloin steak : 




548 


7.91 
7.55 


.15 
.23 


8.06 






7.78 










7.73 


.19 


7.92 










6.70 


.20 


5.90 









11 

These results showed that it was necessary to extract with ether 
longer than twenty four hours, and in all subsequent work extraction 
was continued for forty-eight hours, it being assumed that practically 
all the soluble material was removed in that time. lu view, however, 
of the observations of Argutinsky,' Dormeyer,^ Bogdauow,^ Schulz/ 
E. Voit and Krumniacher,^ Polimanti,*^ Nerking," and Frank" this ques- 
tion of the extraction of fats from animal tissue by ether demands 
further investigation. But there is hardly reason to assume that when 
the material is finely ground and extracted with anhydrous ether for 
forty-eight hours, the amount of fat which fails to be dissolved and 
extracted by the ether or the amount of material other than fat in the 
extract can be large. 

The so-called fat, i. e., ether extract, is never absolutely pure fat. In 
the case of meat, in addition to very small quantities of other sub- 
stances, the ether extract contains some nitrogenous material. In sev- 
eral cases the dried ether extract was transferred to Kjeldahl digestion 
flasks and the nitrogen in it determined in the usual manner. The 
average amount of nitrogen found, as will be seen by reference to 
Table 5, page 13, was 0.03 per cent. This is equivalent to 0.21 per 
cent of protein (using the factor 6.25). This amount should be deducted 
from the total ether extract and added to the protein when great 
accuracy is desired. 

The amount of nitrogen, however, is so small that in ordinary prac- 
tical work it could be safely neglected. Although care was taken to 
secure a clear filtrate in the fat flask, it is possible that the small 
amount of nitrogen came from particles of meat carried through 
mechanically in the two days' extraction to which the samples were sub- 
mitted. It is possible that the ether extract contained small amounts 
of lecithin and other nitrogenous compounds which are soluble in ether. 

Nitrogen in meat. — The Kjeldahl method was used for the determina- 
tion of nitrogen. One gram of substance was taken for analysis. To 
insure accuracy, all the measuring vessels used were carefully calibrated 
and all the reagents were tested. 

In order to determine the length of time necessary to digest the 
samples of meat with the sulphuric acid and mercuric oxid, samjiles of 
sirloin steak (No. 548) weighing 1 and 2 grams were digested for one- 
half, one, two, three, and four hours, respectively, with 30 cubic centi- 
meters sulphuric acid and 0.7 gram mercuric oxid. 

' Arch. Physiol. [Pfluger], 55, p. 347. 

2 Ibid., 61, p. 341 (E. S. R., 7, p. 919) ; 65, p. 90. 

» Ibid., 65, p. 81 (E. S. R., 8, p. 713) ; 68, pp. 4Q8, 431 (E. S. R., 9, pp. 618, 681). 

^ Ibid., 66, p. 145 (E. S. R., 9, p. 373). 

6 Ztschr. Biol., 35 (1897), p. 555 (E. S. R., 9, p. 917). 

6 Arch. Physiol. [Pfluger], 70, p. 366 (E. S. R., 9, p. 1020), 

'Ibid., 71, p. 427. 

» Ztschr. Biol., 35 (1897), p. 549. 



12 

The percentages of nitrogen obtained were as follows: 

Amounts of nitrogen found in meat digested different lengths of time. 

Samples weighing 1 gram : Per cent. 

One-half hour 13.50 

One hour 13. 57 

Two hours 13. 61 

Three hours - 13. 67 

Four hour^ 13. 65 

Sample weighing 2 grams: 

One hour IB. 51 

These results indicate that, as Atwater and Woods have already 
pointed out,^ it is necessary to digest meats somewhat longer than veg- 
etable substances. In the comparative test reported digesting three 
hours was apparently sufficient, but for the sake of safety the diges- 
tion was continued for four hours in the analysis of the side of beef. 



RESULTS OF ANALYSIS. 

The ordinary methods, with the modifications and precautions noted 
above, were used in the analysis of the different cuts. The results are 
given in Tables 3, 4, and 5. Table 3 shows the weight of tlie different 
cuts and the percentage of waste and nutritive ingredients, together 
with the fuel value of each cut. The composition and fuel value of the 
edible portion of the different cuts are shown in Table 4. In Table 5 
the results are calculated to a water-free basis. The fuel values are 
computed by assuming the fuel value of a pound of protein or carbo- 
hydrates to be 1,800, and that of a pound of fat to be 4,220 calorics. 

Table ^.^Composition of side of heef from a New Mexico range steer. 



Refer- 
ence 
No. 


Portion taken for analysis. 


Total 
weight. 


Refuse 

(bone,, 

akin, etc.). 


Water. 


Pro- 
• tein. 


Fat. 


Ash. 


Fuel 

value per 

pound. 


540 


Neck 


Lhs. Oz. 

12 10 

13 8 
31 8 

7 
2 2 

11 10 
5 4 

17 


Per cent. 
75.2 
16.7 
31.7 
64.3 
2.9 
39.8 
50.0 
23.9 


Per ct. 
18.3 
63.1 
52.1 
25.5 
66.6 
46.1 
37.9 
59.2 


Per ct. 

6.0 
18.1 
14.7 

9.5 
28.5 
12.5 
10.8 
15.5 


Per ct. 
0.2 
1.2 
.7 
.2 
.6 
.9 
.8 
.6 


Per ct. 
0.3 
.9 
.8. 
.5 
1.4 
.7 
.5 
.8 


Calories. 
120 


519 




385 


526 
525 


Standing ri b 

Plate 


305 
185 


524 




555 


530 




270 


538 




235 


531 




315 




Average of fore quarter. 




532 




37.4 


47.5 


13.7 


.7 


.7 


285 








522 


12 13 
20 5 
14 
25 
9 8 

3 10 

4 6 


28.8 
19.7 
28.6 
16.0 
50.0 
6.9 
2.9 


49.9 

57.1 
51.4 
61.5 
35. 6 
67.1 
68.3 


19.5 
21.2 
18.5 
20.5 
12.9 
24.1 
26.6 


.8 
.9 

.5 
.9 

.8 

.7 

1.0 


1.0 
1.1 
1.0 
1.1 

.7 
1.2 
1.2 


395 


523 




430 


528 




365 


527 
529 
520 
521 


Round steak 

Hock, hind leg or shank 

Upper or sirloin Hank 


420 
275 
450 
495 




Average of hind qviarter . 




537 


' 


23.2 


55.1 


19.9 


.8 


1.0 


400 








539 




30.7 


51.1 


16.6 

22.2 
9.0 


.7 

3.3 
9.3 


.9 

T 

2.5 
1.1 


340 






5 -5 
8 12 

14 




543 


55.3 


32.4 

72.0 
80.6 


315 


542 




555 


541 






560 











' U. S. Dept. Agr., Office of Experiment Stations Hul. 44, p. 25. 



13 



Table 4. — Composition of edible portion of side of beef from a New Mexico range steer. 



Refer- 
ence 
No. 



Portion taken for analysis. 



540 
519 
526 
525 
524 
530 
538 
531 

532 

522 
523 
528 
527 
529 
520 
521 

53T 

539 

543 
542 
541 



Neck 

Ch lick riba 

Standing rib 

Plaie 

Navel 

Slioulder 

Leg 

Front of shoulder 

Average of fore quarter 

Sirloin 

Sirloin steak 

Rump 

Round steak 

Hock, hind leg' or shank 

Upper or sirloin tlank 

Lower or thin tlauk 

Average of hind quarter 

Average of whole side.. 

Tongue 

Liver 

Brain 



Water. 



Per cent. 
73.8 

75.8 
76.3 
71.5 
68.6 
76.6 
75.9 
77.7 



76.0 



Protein. 



Per cent. 
24.3 

21.7 
21.5 
26.6 
29.4 
20.8 
21.6 
20.4 



21. 



70.1 


27.4 


71.1 


26.4 


72.0 


25.9 


73.2 


24.4 


71.2 


25.8 


72.1 


25.9 


70.3 


27.4 



71.7 



72.5 
72.0 



25.8 



17.7 

22.2 

9.0 



Per cent. 
6.7 
1.4 
1. 1 
.6 
.6 
1.5 
1.5 



Per cent. 
1.2 
1 

1, 
1, 
1 
1, 
1 
1 



1.1 
1.1 

.7 
1.1 
1.7 

.7 
1.0 



3.3 
9.3 



1. 



1.4 
1.4 
L4 
1.3 
1.3 
1.3 
1.3 



.9 
2.5 
LI 



Fuel 

value per 

pound. 



Caloriei. 
480 
465 
445 
520 
570 
450 
465 
415 



450 



555 
535 
510 
500 
550 
510 
550 



525 
490 



705 
555 
560 



Table 5. 



-Composition of water-free substance in side of beef from a New Mexico range 
steer. 



Refer- 
ence 
No. 


Portion taken for analysis. 


Nitrogen. 


Protein. 


Fat. 


Nitrogen 
in ether 
extract. 


Fat cor- 
rected for 
protein 
in ether 
extract. 


Ash. 


540 


Neck 


Per cent. 
15.31 
14.70 
14.81 
15.51 
15.65 
14.55 
14.85 
14. 88 


Per cent. 
92.8 
89.9 
90.8 
93.4 
93.8 
88.9 
89.8 
91.6 


Per cent. 
2.7 
5.6 
4.7 
2.1 
2.0 
6.4 
6.1 
3.7 


Per cent. 


Per cent. 
2.5 
5.4 
4.5 
1.9 
1.8 
6.2 
5.9 
3.5 


Per cent. 
4 7 


519 






4 7 


526 






4 7 


525 


Plate 


0.03 
.03 


4.7 


■ 524 


Navel 


4.4 


530 




4.9 


538 






4.3 


531 






4 9 










532 




90.8 


4.5 






4.7 














522 


14.69 
14.83 
15.12 
14.69 
14.77 
15.14 
15.38 


91.7 
91.7 
92.6 
91.1 
89.7 
93.0 
92.5 


3.6 
3.6 
2.6 
4.0 
5.9 
2.6 
3.4 


.05 
.03 
.03 
.03 
.04 
.03 
.03 


3.4 
3.4 
2.4 

3.8 
5.7 
2.4 
3.2 


4.9 


523 




4.9 


528 




5.0 


527 




5.1 


529 
520 


Hock, hind ]pg or shank 


4.6 
4.6 


521 




4 3 




Average of hind quarter . 




537 




91.5 


3.7 




4.8 










539 




91.1 


4.1 




4.8 




^'™"' " " 











1.03 



















' Equivalent to 0.21 per cent protein (NX 6.25). 



14 

COMPARISON OF THE COMPOSITION OF BEEF FROM DIFFERENT 
PARTS OF THE UNITED STATES. 

The following table gives the average composition of the side of New 
Mexico beef reported above and the average composition of similar 
sides of beef from Maine, Tennessee, and Texas. 



Table 6. 


— Average composition of sides of beef from 


different 


regions. 






Kef use. 


Water. 


Protein. 


Fat. 


Ash. 




Per cent. 
16.1 
20.4 
20.0 
30.7 


Per cent. 
50.2 
52.9 
55.2 
51.1 


Per cent. 
14.4 
15.3 
15.3 
16.6 


Per cent. 

18.6 

10.5 

8.8 

.7 


Per cent. 
7 




8 


Texas* 


.7 




.9 







' Maine Sta. Rpt. 1895, p. 57. 

'' F. S. Dept. Agr., Office of Experiment Stations Bui. 53. 

' TJ. S. Dept. Agr., Office of Experiment Stations Bal. 28. 

One of the most noteworthy features '^^ ''i.^nection with the composi- 
tion of New Mexica b^^^f c4,o cfffiapared with the results of analyses of 
beef ^»'^" other localities is the extremely low percentage of ether 
extract in the former. The maximum for any single cut, calculated on 
the water-free basis (see p. 13), is 6.4 jier cent, the minimum 2 per cent, 
and the average 4.1 per cent. As has already been pointed out, this 
ether extract is not pure fat. Deducting the amount of protein found 
in it, leaves 3.94 per cent as the average of several determinations. 

Although the beef was very lean, it is believed that it was fairly 
representative of New Mexico range beef in the spring. In the late 
summer and early fall the cattle are in better condition, owing to the 
better pasturage during the rainy season. 

The low fat content is accompanied by a high proportion of refuse. 
This is but natural, for as the flesh approaches more closely to pure 
muscular tissue the proportion of tendon and bone increases. 



DIETARY STUDY OF A POOR MEXICAN FAMILY. 

The dietary work consists of a study of one of the families (No. 163) 
studied last year and reported elsewhere.^ It was thought by continu- 
ing the investigation with a family whose dietary had already been 
studied that some idea could be obtained of the difference in the 
amounts of the various nutrients consumed at different times by the 
same people. 

CONDITIONS OF LIFE. 

The family, consisting of the father, mother, and 3-year-old &on, is 
one of a colony of some twenty families in the same circumstances 
attached to one of the large ranches near Las Cruces. The rent of 

' U. S. Dept. Agr., Office of Experiment Stations Bui. 40. 



U. S. Dept. of Agri., Bui. 54, Office of Expt. Stations. 



Plate I. 




^ ;j ' 



■1 -:%«* 



\i 



«t-" ^ 




Fig. 1.— a Row of Adobe Houses in New Mexico. 




Fig. 2.— a Mexican Family at Dinner in front of their Adobe House. 



■-^ .^»4imU^^^ 



.,-f^>~ ^ 



'^J-n ri'^k 






•r i^. 








i^J 



v# * 



y^ 




Fig. 3.— Mexican Women preparing Tortillas. 



15 

tbe dwellings and small plats of laud, upon which they raise the 
greater part of their foo<l, is paid in grain. The houses are all built of 
adobe or sun-dried brick, with an earth floor and a flat roof made of 
sticks and brush covered Avith mud, and generally contain but one 
room about 20 feet square. There are usually a single door and one or 
two uuglazed windows. That the houses and the household furnishings 
are of the simplest and most primitive kind may be seen from the 
accompanying illustrations. 

Figure 3 (Plate I) shows the particular family whose dietary was 
studied at dinner. To the left may be seen an oven in which some of 
the cooking is done. The greater part of the cooking, however, is 
done over an open fire in one corner of the house. 

In general the diet of such families consists almost entirely of vege- 
table foods, meats being very rarely purchased. The family studied 
used no meat during the fourteen days of the experiment previously 
reported and but IJ pounds during the present study. 

"Frijoles," or beans, "chili" (a variety of red pepper), and "tortillas," 
1. e., cakes made from flour or from the small blue corn, which is pounded 
in stone mortars by the women, make up the greater part of the food 
eaten. In the dietary reported, "fideos," a native product resembling 
macaroni, was also used to some extent. The amount of fat in the 
vegetable food eaten is comparatively small. The deficiency is made 
up by the use of lard or lard substitutes used freely in cooking. 

The total income of the family derived from the irregular employ- 
ment of the man for short periods at various kinds of work upon the 
ranch, did not exceed $100 per year. 

DETAILS OF THE STUDY. 

The dietary study was carried on by the methods described in pre- 
vious publications' of this Office. Exact account was taken of all the 
food materials in the house (1) at the beginning of the experiment, (2) 
purchased during its progress, and (3) remaining at the end. The last 
subtracted from the sum of the first two showed the amount of food 
consumed, due allowance being made for the waste. Account was kept 
of the number of meals taken by the family and by visitors. 

The composition of the food was calculated from analyses of New 
Mexico foods rei)orted in a previous publication.^ It was believed that 
additional analyses were not necessary, since the foods consumed dur- 
ing this and the previous dietary study were essentially the same. 
The waste was analyzed. 

As a rule a woman requires less food than a man, and .the amount 
required by children is still less, varying with the age. It is customary 
to assign certain factors which shall represent the amount of nutrients 



^U. S. Dept. Agr., Office of Experiment Stations Bui. 46. 
«U. S. Dept. Agr., Office of Experiment Stations Bui. 40. 



16 

required by cliildreii of differeut ages aud by a woman as comiiared 
with an adult man. These factors, which are based in ijart upon experi- 
mental data and iu part upon arbitrary assumption, are as foflows : 

Factors used in calculating meals consumed in dietary studies. 

Oue meal of woman equivaleut to 0.8 meal of mau at moderate muscular labor. 
One meal of boy 14 to 16 years of age, inclusive, equivalent to 0.8 meal of man. 
One meal of girl 14 to 16 years of age, inclusive, equivalent to 0.7 meal of man. 
One meal of child 10 to 13 years of age, inclusive, equivalent to 0.6 meal of man. 
One meal of child 6 to 9 years of age, inclusive, equivalent to 0.5 meal of man. 
One meal of child 2 to 5 years of age, inclusive, equivalent to 0.4 meal of man. 
One meal of child under 2 years of age equivalent to 0.3 meal of man. 

By means of the preceding factors it is easy to calculate the number 
of meals for one man which would be equivalent to those actually eaten 
by the dififerenc persons. This value divided by three gives the equiva- 
lent number of days for one man. The total quantity of nutrients con- 
sumed divided by the equivalent number of days for one man gives the 
quantities " jier man per day," the unit by which dietaries are ordi- 
narily compared. 

The study began May 9, 1897, and continued 14 days. 

The members of the family and number of meals taken were as follows : 

Meals. 

Man 29 years old 42 

Woman 23 years old (42 meals X 0.8 meal of man), equivalent to ... 34 

Boy 3 years old (42 meals X 0.5 meal of man), equivalent to 21 

Man (visitor) 60 years old 9 

Children (visitors) equivalent to 2 

Total n umber of meals taken equivaleut to 108 

E(£uiva]ent to 1 man 36 days. 

In the following tables are given the results of the dietary study. 
Table 7 shows the amount, cost, and composition of the different food 
materials used, together with the composition and estimated value of 
the Avaste. In Table 8 is shown the relative proportions of the several 
classes of food materials in the dietary and the nutrients furnished by 
each class. Table 9 shows the amount, composition, fuel value, and 
cost of the food purchased, wasted, and actually eaten. 

Table 7. — Food materials and table and kitchen wastes in dietary study No. 225. 





Composition. 


Total 

cost. 


Weight used. 


Kind of food material. 


Pro- 
tein. 


Fat. 


Carbohy- 
drates. 


Total 
food 
mate- 
rial. 


Pro- 
tein. 


Fat. 


Carbohy- 
drates. 


AIOMAI. FOOD. 

Beef: 

Rib.s 


Per ct. 
22.6 


Per ct. 

3.0 

100.0 


Per cent. 


$0.10 
.40 


Grows. 
595 


Grams. 


Q-rams. 

18 

1,730 


Grows. 


Lard 




1,730 





















.50 


2,325 I 13d 


1,748 



















17 



Table 7. — Food materials and table and kitchen wastes, etc. — Continued. 





Composition. 


Total 
cost. 


Weight used. 


Kind of food material. 


Pro- 
tein. 


Fat. 


Carbohy- 
drates. 


Total 
food 

mate- 
rial. 


Pro- 
tein. 


Fat. 


Carbohy- 
drates. 


VEGETABLE FOOD. 


Per ct. 

21.9 
4.0 
9.9 

10.5 
9.9 


Per ct. 
1.3 
3.4 
1.3 
5.8 
1.3 


Per cent. 
05.1 
30.1 
80.1 
75.9 
80.1 
98.0 


$0.25 
.42 
.84 
.30 
.10 
.15 


Grams. 

2,980 

1,105 

10, 720 

10, 570 

770 

1,080 


Grams. 

652 

44 

1,061 

1,110 

76 


Grams. 
39 
38 
139 
613 
10 


Gram,s. 
1,940 




332 




8,587 




8, 023 


Fideos 


017 




1,058 














Total vegetable food 






2.06 


27, 225 


2,943 


839 
2,587 


20, 557 










Total food 








2.56 


29, 550 


3,077 


20, 557 












Food accessories : 








.21 
.01 
.04 


765 
370 
380 








Salt 
















13.7 


6.1 


76.9 


52 


23 


292 











' Analyzed in connection with this dietary. 

Tablk 8. — Weights and percentages of food materials and nutritive ingredients used in 

dietary study No. 2&5. 





Weight in grams. 


Weight in pounds. 




Kind of food material. 


Food 
mate- 
rial. 


Pro- 
tein. 


Fat. 


Carbohy- 
drates. 


Food 
mate- 
rial. 


Pro- 
tein. 


Fat. 


Carbohy- 
drates. 


Cost. 


FOR FAMILr, 14 DATS. 

Beef, veal, and mutton. 


595 
1,730 


134 


18 
1,730 




1.30 
3.80 


0.30 






$0.10 




3.80 




.40 










Total animal 
food 


2,325 

22, 060 
1,080 
4,085 


134 


1,748 




5.10 


.30 


3.80 




.50 












2,247 


762 17 997 


48.60 
2.40 
9.00 


5.00 


1.70 


38.00 
2.30 
5.00 


1.24 


Sugars and starches. . . 




1,058 
2 272 


.15 


696 


77 


1.50 


.20 


.67 








Total vegetable 


27, 225 


2,943 


839 


20, 557 


60.00 


6.50 


1.90 


45.30 


2.06 






Total food 


29, 550 


3, 077 


2,587 


20, 557 


65. 10 


6.80 


5.70 


45.30 


2.56 


Total food, in- 
cluding coffee 


















2.78 






















PER MAN PER DAY. 


17 

48 


4 


1 
48 




.04 
.10 


.01 












.11 
















Total animal 


65 


4 


49 




.14 


.01 


.11 




.01 












613 

30 

113 


63 


21 


479 
29 
63 


1.35 
.07 
.25 


.14 


.05 


1.06 
.06 

.14 




Sugars and starches.. . 
Vegetables 




19 


2 


.04 










Total vegetable 
food 


756 


82 


23 


571 


1.67 


.18 


.05 


1.26 


.06 






Total food 


821 


86 


72 


571 


1.81 


.19 1 .16 


1.26 


.07 


Total food, in- 
cluding coffee 
















.08 
























19505— No. 54- 



18 



Tablk 8. — Weights and percentages of food vtaterials, etc. — Continued. 





"Weight in grams. 


Weight in pounds. 




Kind of food material. 


^""f \ Pro- 
mate- .. 

rial. 1 **''''■ 


^at. «i?ra^- 


Food 
mate- 
rial. 


Pro- 
tein. 


Fat. 


• 
Carbohy- 
drates. 


Cost. 


PERCENTAGES OF TO- 
TAL FOOD. 

Beef, veal, and mutton. 


Per.ct. Per.ct. 
2.0 J 4.4 
5.9 


Per. ct. 
0.7 
66.9 


Per cent. 








• 


Per..ct. 
3 6 












14.4 
















Total animal 


7. 9 1 4. 4 67. 6 












18.0 




83.8 
5.2 
H.O 













Cereals 


74. 6 1 73. 

3 7 


29.4 






44.6 












5.4 




13.8 1 22.6 


3.0 










24.1 














Total vegetable 


92.1 95.6 


32.4 


100.0 










74.1 














Cotfee 
















7.6 


Salt 






■ 










.3 




















Total 








1 




100.0 




1 






1 







Table 9. — Xutrients and fuel value in food purchased, rejected, and eaten in dietary study 

No. 225. 



Kind of food material. 


Cost. 


Protein. 


Fat. 


Carbohy- 
drates. 


Fuel 
value. 


Food purchased : 


$0.50 
2.06 


Grams. 

134 

2,943 


Grams. 

1,748 
839 


Grams. 


Calories. 
16,810 




20, 557 


104, 150 






Total 


2.50 
.04 


3,077 
52 


2,587 
23 


20, 557 
292 


120, 960 


Wiiste 


1,620 








2.52 


3,025 


2,564 


20, 265 


119,340 






PER MAN PER DAY. 

Food purchased : 


.014 

.057 


4 

82 


49 
23 




470 




571 


2,890 






Total 


.071 


86 
1 


72 

1 


571 
8 


3,365 




45 










.071 


85 


71 


563 


3, 320 






PERCENTAOES OK TOTAL FOOD PURCHASED. 

Food purchased : 


Per cent. 
19.5 
80.5 


Per cent. 

4.4 

95.6 


Per cent. 
67.6 
32.4 


Per cent. 


Per cent. 
13.9 




100.0 


86.1 






Total 


100.0 
1.6 


100.0 
1.7 


100.0 
.9 


100.0 
1.4 


100. 




1.3 








98.4 


98.3 


99.1 


98.6 


98.7 







DISCUSSION OP RESULTS. 



For purposes of comparison, the results of tliis dietary study and, 
those previously made in New Mexico,^ together with the average 
results of the dietary studies of negroes in Alabama- and the proposed 



' U. S. Dept. Agr., Office of Experiment Stations Bui. 40. 
2U. S. Dept. Agr., Office of Experiment Stations Bui. 38. 



19 

American dietary standard for a man at moderate muscular work, are 
given in tlie following table: 

Table 10. — Sitmmary of results of dietary studies in New Mexico and Alabama compared 

with the dietary standard. 

[Per man per day.] 





C08t>— 


Nutrients. 


Fuel 
value. 


Nutritive 
ratio. 




Of food. 


Of bever- 
ages, etc. 


Protein. 


Fat. 


Carboby 
drates. 


Dietary No. 225. — Mexican 
family of the poorer class, 
1897 


Cents. 

7 

6 
9 

6 


Cents. 

1 

2 
2 

1 


Grams. 
84 

104 
98 
89 


Grams. 
71 

71 
65 
77 


Grams. 
503 

701 
561 
625 


Calories. 
3,320 

3,960 
3,305 
3,645 


1: 8.6 


Dietary No. 163. — Same fam- 
ily as above, 1896 


1: 8.3 


Dietary No. 164.— Mexican 
family in moderate circum- 


1: 7.2 


Dietary No. 165.— Mexican 
family of the poorer class, 
1896 .' 


1: 9.0 










7 
8 


li 


68 
62 

125 


73 
132 


572 
436 


3,320 
3,270 

3,500 


1: 8.3 




1:11.8 


Standard for men at moderate 




1: 5.8 















From this table it will be seen that the amount of food consumed 
was somewhat less than was the case in the dietary study made in 
1896, the fuel value per man per day being reduced from 3,9G0 to 3,320 
calories. This reduction in heat value was caused by using smaller 
amounts of protein and carbohydrates, the fat being exactly the same. 
The nutritive ratio, however, remained practically unchanged. 

The food accessories in this dietary consisted of coffee only, for which 
21 cents was paid out of a total food expenditure of $2.78 during the 
period. That the family were accustomed to make the most of what 
they had is shown by the small amount of waste in this dietary. The 
waste was estimated to cost but 4 cents. This is an example of care- 
ful management that might well be imitated by others in more favored 
circumstances. 

It is interesting to note that the Mexican family obtained for 7 cents 
more protein, more carbohydrates, and a greater fuel value than the 
negro family for 8 cents. The negro family, however, had more fat. 
This difference is due to the use of large amounts of fat pork (an 
expensive source of protein) by the negro families, while the Mexican 
family used but little meat and derived the protein in their diet almost 
entirely from vegetable sources. 

It must be understood that the dietary standard here given is not in 
any way absolute, but represents what is considered at present, as the 
result of careful investigation, to be the closest estimate possible as to 
the actual amounts or relation between the amounts of protein, carbo- 
hydrates, and fat required to properly nourish a man engaged in 
moderately hard work. A diet made up on this basis should enable a 
man to do each day a fair amount of work and at the same time to 
keep his body in a well-balanced and well-nourished condition. 



20 

The great trouble with the dietary of the Mexican family as well as 
that of the negro is that the amount of protein is too small. Approxi- 
mately stated, the food of the Mexican family furnished but tw^thirds 
of the amount of protein called for by the standard, and the food of 
the negro families furnished but one-half the protein that is considered 
to be necessary, according to the best knowledge at the present, for 
proper nourishment. 

At the same time the Mexican as well as the negro families ate an 
undue proportion, but not amount, of the fuel ingredients. A proper 
ratio is generally considered to be established when the quantity of 
protein is to the quantity of fuel ingredients — starch, sugar, and fat — 
as 1 to 5.8 or thereabouts. In both the negro and Mexican families the 
dietaries are deficient in protein and in fuel ingredients. 



FIVIr'07 



